Malady
by Inbetweentheraindrops
Summary: AU. Set during 'Performance'. Artemis was a victim of Paracite, now she wants to know why. Mostly sicky fluff and a bit of Traught shipping if you squint.
1. Chapter 1

**I really need to stop with these one-shots.**

 **Disclaimer mentioned, acknowledged, and applied.**

 **I apologize for any OOCness that happens, I usually have the show to fall onto for references on all of that but since Netflix dropped it I'm in the middle of the waiting limbo for Amazon to ship the BlueRay disks of both seasons.**

 **I don't hate Roy... Hate is a strong word, let's use dislike heavy on the 'Dis'.**

* * *

Artemis sighed heavily taking the mask off that made her Diane Danger in that circus ring, the quiver was light on her back empty of its trick arrows from their last performance. She unbuckled the strap from her chest and placed it next to the mask and bow. Her hands shook slightly and she closed her eyes to take in a deep breath. Her hands fell to press fully on the table in front of her. She didn't realize that she had a fear of watching someone fall, it was in that one moment that seemed to stretch into infinity when Robin had missed Megan's hands that caused her fear.

She breathed out slowly and pushed away from the table, she rolled her shoulders back and cracked her neck.

"Thank God for barrels." She heard Robin quip as the rest of the team entered the private space that 'The Dangers' were afforded while they were performing. Tomorrow everything would be coming down, but tonight it was sectioned off for just them.

Artemis turned towards the many frowns that were aimed at the sweating boy's form. "No, thank God that Dean was there." She muttered and picked up her mask to fasten it back to her face. She ignored the sharp look from Roy, Conner, and the Boy Wonder himself. "I'm gonna go get some air." She gave a small wave and walked past the frowns, she needed a bit more time to get over this.

She must have missed something because Roy is following her with a scowl on his face, but she ignores him and exits the tents. It's chilly out here, her breath comes out in a fog as she walks to the train. She knows Roy is right behind her but her eyes are closed as she leans up against the wall of one of the train cars. The metal is almost painfully cold against her shoulders but she let her head fall back to look up towards the cloudy sky, it was likely going to snow.

"What is wrong with you?" Roy snarled at her. She tilts her head down to look at him, her eyes land on his figure but they don't actually see him. She closes them briefly and he comes into focus in front of her.

"What's wrong with me?" She echoes with a quiet rasp, she doesn't want to talk, she doesn't want him near her. A scowl takes over her lips and a glare settles in her gray eyes, "Oh, I don't know, might be something to do with a friend nearly falling to his death earlier." Sarcasm and scathing worked hand in hand with her and dripped from her words that fogged out of her system.

He growled at her, "He isn't your friend."

She pushed him away from her, she isn't sure when he had gotten so close to her, but she didn't want this _thing_ anywhere near her.

* * *

She nearly falls after face planting into Ray's chest as she turned the corner. He grabs her shoulder to keep her from landing on the ground, that would have been just perfect after running from Roy. "Whoa, slow down." Ray chuckled keeping her on her feet.

"Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going." She gave a lopsided smile and walked past him towards the tent curtains.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Megan asked as Artemis stumbled into their designated area. Megan grabbed her arm to help keep the girl up.

"No." Artemis manages before completely sagging against Megan's side, "I don't know what happened, I was feeling just fine before I came back in here." Her eyes were shut tightly, the world was slightly spinning and for some reason, only Megan was here. Megan helped her to a seat and placed her hand on Artemis's forehead.

"You're hotter than Ro-Dan," Megan states worriedly and gently cradles Artemis's face in her hands as she opened her eyes. "Come on, let's get you changed and wrapped in a blanket.

Artemis agreed, but it sounded faint like gurgling from the back of her throat. Megan has to hold Artemis up, Artemis has never been good when she had a fever. Her body was wracked with chills, heavily shivering and her balance was always compromised when she was sick. Megan got her out of the 'Danger' costume that they were wearing earlier, leaving her in a pair of black undies and a black sports bra that clasped in the front. Artemis tried helping her, she really did, but the world was spinning and she was desperately trying not to throw up.

An oversized t-shirt was pulled over her head, it was one of the many Artemis had stolen from her best friend back at Gotham North, if he was still alive he would probably laugh at her for a while. Megan gave up after managing to get the pants out of Artemis's duffle, they were too tight for her to struggle onto Artemis at the moment. Megan grabbed a blanket and wrapped Artemis up nice and tight. The blonde fell asleep cradled in Megan's arms, her head laid on the other's chest.

"Dawn, have you seen Diane?" Roy, Conner, and Robin walk into their area.

"She caught whatever Dan has." Megan sighs as she runs her fingers through Artemis's silky blonde tresses. "But, worse."

Conner frowns heavily, "What do you mean worse?"

"I've never seen her stumble before," Megan looks at the three boys with wide eyes, she is stunned and frankly scared. "She almost fell."

Robin frowns and presses a hand to Artemis's forehead, "Definitely burning hotter than I am." He is still sweating but standing on his two feet.

Artemis's eyes blink open, they're glassy and pained. "Trash-can." She attempts to push away from Megan but all she manages to do is crumple forward and into Robin's arms that save her from face planting on the floor. She turns her head away from him and heaves, luckily Conner had grabbed the waste basket the second he heard her call for it. She empties her stomach into it, her body still quakes with shivers.

Megan holds back Artemis's long blonde hair with a worried frown, this was already ten times worse than Robin's. "Where did you go?" She directed the question towards Roy who looks perturbed hovering over Robin's shoulder.

Roy frowned, "She went outside-"

"Without a coat?" Robin frowned looking over his shoulder still carefully cradling Artemis's shaking form, she had stopped upchucking.

Roy growled, "Was I supposed to stop her? I'm not her babysitter."

"No, but it's your fault she's like this." Conner glared, he really didn't like Roy.

"Dangers, that was a wonderful performance." The team straightened around Artemis as Hal walked into their area. "Gave us all a heart attack with that stunt you pulled, Dan." He gave them a grand smile that froze and fell when he caught sight of Artemis. "Oh, dear, is she alright?"

"She'll be fine, I think she caught the bug that's been going around." Megan soothed back Artemis's hair and laid the unconscious girl back onto her chest.

"Give it about a day to work through her system, we'll be fine by the next stop." Robin removed his arms from around the blonde.

Hal frowned, worry lines appeared between his furrowed brows. "Of course, I do hope that she recovers quickly."

"Thank you." Megan smiled at him over Artemis's head.

* * *

"Hey." Robin smoothed Artemis's bangs back, her eyes were still glassy but less pained and more confused.

"Rob?" She croaked seeing him completely decked out in his 'Robin' costume.

"It's me," He gave her a small grin, "We are going to head out to see if we can't catch this guy, just stay put and rest okay?"

"Okay." She mumbled and he pulled the blanket further up her body to tuck under her chin. Her eyes fluttered closed.

"Let's make this quick." Robin turned to the other team members who were already dressed and ready to go.

* * *

Artemis woke up slowly, inch by inch, breath by breath, she became aware of a lulling 'clack, clack, clack' that slightly rocked whatever it was that she was laying on. There was a thick blanket draped over her body. She could smell sandalwood, peaches, and a spicy smoke smell. She turned her head slightly hearing murmuring and feeling something firm but mostly pliant under her head had her opening her eyes. The first things she saw was Megan wrapped in a blanket on the bench opposite of the one she was sure that held her own prone form. Megan didn't look so good as she leaned heavily into Conner, Roy sat near Megan's feet with a scowl and crossed arms. Roy was talking about something, but she couldn't really catch what was coming out his mouth, her head felt like it was filled with cotton.

She groaned and attempted to sit up, only to have someone lay her back down. She looked up and met Robin's eyes from behind his 'Dan Danger' mask, they didn't cover his really blue eyes, at all. His eyes were really pretty she decided staring up at him, she blinked catching his mouth moving. "Huh?"

"Good to see you awake." He smiled down at her.

She blinked several times, she was so confused. For a moment she was convinced that the boy holding her down was that little freshie from school that had taken sweet pleasure in following her around with stupid pick up lines, or cheesy jokes falling from his lips, but this was Robin and not Richard. (He gets so frowny whenever she calls him that instead of Dick, it's super cute, but she won't ever tell him that.) "I was asleep?" Artemis felt stupid in that moment, but she was pretty out of it. Normally her heightened senses would kick in the moment she awoke but it felt like she was trudging through mud.

Robin-Richard-Dan-whoever it was, laughed and pushed her bangs out of her face. "Yup." She watched his lips curl as he popped the 'p'.

She attempted to sit up again, she had to brush his hands off her but eventually was able to right her body. She lightly held her head that had started to throb, "What happened?"

"What do you remember?" Robin asked carefully tugging on the blanket to better cover her bare legs.

"Taking a walk," She frowned and peeked open an eye to glare at Roy, "He followed me and pissed me off, I remember running." She rubbed her face and sat back in the seat, she wrapped her fists around the blanket in her lap. "I nearly ran down Ray. After that, I can't really remember much." Which was a lie, she could remember Megan's sweetness and Robin's arms but everything else was more than a blur.

"That's funny." Robin frowned and looked over at Megan.

"Ray tried to help me with some equipment earlier," Megan rasped with a frown. "I started feeling not so good a little after that."

"Did you have contact with him?"

"His hand touched mine, but not for very long." Megan's brows furrowed.

Artemis scrubbed her hands over her face and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "I feel like someone hit me with a sledgehammer, several times." She whined and dropped her head backward. She blinked and then looked down at her lap, "Uh, where are my pants?"

The boys froze.

Megan looked over at her, "Sorry Diane, I tried helping you change into something more comfortable but I couldn't get the pants on you."

"Right. I sort of remember that, thank you." Artemis pushed back her hair, she couldn't wait to be done with this mission and back home to her hair ties.

"She wasn't wearing pants the entire time?" Robin squeaked with red cheeks.

Artemis laughed and hit his shoulder, "Don't worry about it. If you didn't see anything, don't think about it." The red on his face made him look just like Richard when she would answer him back with a lame crack at a joke or a lame pick up line that she had heard on the subway earlier that day.

He coughed, "Right, okay."

* * *

Artemis frowned heavily at Roy, "You know all of us would do anything for this team." She stood up wrapping her blanket fully around her body like a cape making sure not to flash anyone. "Just," She sighed and the glare was gone, she was tired and this whole 'mole' thing was taking all of her energy. "Keep an open mind." She turned and left the cabin, she didn't know where she was going but Robin had already disappeared, she couldn't see Megan or Conner anywhere.

Artemis walked aimlessly for a while. She ended up outside walking along the side of the train looking at all posters that were stuck to the sides. She traced the lines on a particular poster that held a woman on a suspended hoop. The woman was dressed in bright blue and had a blue feathery mask tied over her eyes. Artemis could distinctly remember a time when she was younger and training, wishing that she could leave Gotham for the circus. At the time it had felt like a dream watching people soar over the crowds with swings. She had even convinced her father to teach her how to Ribbon dance, she later learned how to use the suspended hoop, and she had taught herself how to twirl batons, she even remembered learning how to fire dance. It had been easy to convince Sportsmaster to teach her these things. He had indulged her fancies for a while when Mom was still around in her younger years.

Artemis sighed and pushed away from the poster and continued on down the train's side. She pulled the blanket tighter around her frame as she walked on. Her eyes trained on the posters. She stopped again when she came across the 'Flying Graysons' poster. Her heart thudded harshly against her rib cage. Grayson, Richard Grayson. Oh, my God. Artemis forced herself to keep walking down the train. Robin was Richard. No wonder they looked so similar, who else could practically be a bird born in the rafters if they hadn't been flying since they could walk. It made so much sense now. Toni Zucco had been the very first villain Robin had put away, the mobster responsible for the Flying Grayson's death.

Artemis sighed heavily and leaned against the side of the train, she felt like such an idiot.

"What are you doing out here?" She nearly leaped out of her skin, normally when she wasn't sick she couldn't be caught off guard, but right now her senses were muddled. She turned to see Ray raising an eyebrow at her blanket-clad form.

"I needed fresh air." She shrugged and pulled the blanket tighter. "I didn't realize I was outside."

He chuckled, "Well, being out here isn't helping your flu, little lady. Let's get you back inside." He reached out and touched her covered arm to steer her back into the train. He helped her up the stairs and grabbed her blanket when it got caught and slipped off of her shoulders. He shook his head with a laugh and wrapped her back into the blanket, his skin touched hers several times and she knew that the others were going to kill her when she got back. "Better get back to your siblings."

"Thank you." She gave him a smile and walked swiftly back to their cabin. _Why did he purposely touch me?_

* * *

"Diane?" Megan asked with wide eyes watching Artemis knock into the door frame of their cabin trying to get in.

Artemis already feels weak but her time to be the damsel is long over. She eyes the three boys sitting on the bench across from the wrapped up Megan before grabbing her duffle bag, digging through it, she downs four capsules of ibuprofen dry and rubs her forehead harshly. She feels like collapsing, her knees are shaking trying hard to keep her on her feet. "Did we figure out what's going on?" She could vaguely remember them going out without her last night.

"Whoever 'he' is, is trying to open a black hole." Robin doesn't mince his words, a frown on his face.

She squints at him and lowers herself as carefully as she can next to Megan, who pulls her against her side and rests her head on Artemis's shoulder. "Okay."

"For him to do that though, he needs a particle accelerator." Roy crosses his arms over his chest.

"And conveniently, there is one in Geneva." Robin sighs.

"Our next stop." Artemis lays her head a top of Megan's. "You mentioned earlier that Ray touched you before you felt sick?"

Robin nodded, Megan made a noise of agreement.

"I think we should pay a visit to Ray." Artemis breaks out in a sweat and she swallows thickly, the cabin was starting to spin a little.

"Maybe you both should stay here." Robin goes to stand, Roy is already on his feet, Conner is halfway up.

Artemis frowns at him. "No."

Megan stands up keeping the blanket wrapped around her, "In the words of a friend, 'I can manage'."

Artemis stands carefully, her blanket slipping off her shoulders and pools on the seat behind her. "I need pants." She frowns looking down at her body, the shirt just barely covers everything.

"No time." Roy starts to shove the other two boys out of the cabin.

"Of course not." She grumbled but grabbed the blanket before following after Megan.

* * *

"Wait, I need to ask him a question." Artemis breathed moving in towards Robin, Agent Faraday, and Paracite who remained in cuffs and collar.

Agent Faraday looked up with furrowed brows, his eyes raked over her body for a moment with a frown. "Shouldn't you be sitting down or something?"

She frowned at him, "Paracite hit me twice, I want to know why."

"What do you mean twice?" Robin frowned and folded his arms over his chest.

She looked at him blankly, "Just what I said, the first time was an accident. The second time he deliberately made contact. I want to know why." She turned to frown at Agent Faraday, "May I ask him?"

Agent Faraday's eyebrows lift in surprise, "Intriguing, Paracite attacking a regular human twice? I would like to know why as well." He gestures towards Paracite that is being held up by another agent a few steps away.

Artemis stalks forward knowing that the two others were following her, her lips pulled into a grim line. She gets the sinking feeling that whatever he tells her it's just going to make everything worse.

"Ah, the _extraordinary_ human." Paracite grins maniacally at her the second she steps into his eyesight. "How are you fairing? The second drain wasn't nearly as satisfying as that first one. Full body contact tends to do that, you know."

Artemis narrows her eyes, "Why come to me for a second time?"

"No beating around the bush with you is there?" He laughs, it sends chills down everyone's back. "Why ask me? Unless you really don't know." He leers at her. "Of course you don't know."

"What don't I know?" She asks through gritted teeth.

"Have you noticed that your senses are dulled barely even there?"

Her eyes narrow to slits, her fists clench. "Is that what you did then? Take my senses?"

"Mostly. Your senses are dialed to eleven, what you are experiencing right now is mostly normal for regular humans." Paracite offered her a sharp grin, "You are something else, Eagle-Eye."

Artemis sucked in a breath, turned to Agent Faraday and Robin. "I kind of wish I didn't know." She walked away from the two, who are wearing practically identical looks of surprise on their faces.


	2. Chapter 2

**For the sake of the story, Oliver Queen is 37 in 2010.**

 **I blame Crazy Chesire Cat Lady for this chapter, it's her fault and dedicated to her.**

 **Disclaimer applied.**

* * *

"What do you mean, you don't know." Artemis frowned heavily, arms crossed over her chest and stared down at her mother.

Paula sighed heavily, "Exactly that, I don't know. You could have gotten it in a number of different ways."

Artemis narrowed her eyes, a heavy sigh left her lips. "Did you know that every child is required to have a genetics test before they enter school?" Artemis shifted her balance onto the other foot as Paula looked away from her. "I got access to both yours and fathers, you have the genetic potential for powers but Father has no potential or active mutations. Even Jade had her file done." Artemis's fingers clenched tightly into the material of her sleeves. Paula was looking at her lap, "Why am I the only one without a file?"

Paula turned her head away and rubbed the side of her face. She looked over at Green Arrow who stood just behind Artemis and to the right of her. "Because," Paula's hand dropped to her lap and met Artemis's eyes, "I don't know who your father was."

Artemis inhaled sharply, "What?"

"I didn't know who your father was," Paula tells her, her voice coming out stronger than the earlier statement. Artemis stepped back in shock, her shoulder hitting Green Arrows chest. "I knew he wasn't Lawrence. I was pregnant and married to a man that values blood over anything. When I found out, about a month after you were conceived I made it look like it was his."

Artemis pushed away from both the adults and sat heavily on the three seater couch. "I wasn't a preemie, was I?"

Paula shook her head, "No, you weren't. You were actually a week late." Paula rubbed the bridge of her nose in between two fingers.

"You kept me from the Genetics test to keep Fa-Lawrence from finding out that I wasn't his." Artemis put her head in her hands, elbows on her knees.

Paula rubbed the underside of her jaw. "Yes, I did. I did it to keep you safe." Paula wheeled closer to Artemis briefly glancing over at the stiff Green Arrow. "I knew that if Lawrence ever found out that you weren't his daughter, he'd drop all protection from you, or worse, he'd kill you." She reached forward and placed her hands on Artemis's forearms.

Artemis looked up running her hands down her face at the same time. "Do you remember him?"

Paula sighed and rolled closer to brush back Artemis's hair. "Of course I do." She gave a small smile. "He was handsome, blond, clean shaven, blue eyes, and pretty suave." She tugged on Artemis's arms to bring her hands into Paula's. "I was only with him for about two weeks, but they were the best two weeks of my entire life. If I could have, I would have dropped everything for that to last." Paula's voice cracks, "I didn't think that I would ever have to relive those days."

Artemis squeezed Paula's hands. "If I get my Genetic test done, will it tell me who my real father is?"

Paula nodded and closed her eyes. "Yes, it will."

"Is that what you want?" Green Arrow finally spoke since the two of them had arrived. He moved forward to stand to the side of Paula. Artemis looked over at him for a moment.

"I want to know.

* * *

"These results show parentage?" Artemis asked Dinah who held a blue manila folder in her hands loosely.

"Well, no not exactly." She opened the folder, turned it around and held it out towards Artemis. "Since we took your DNA to trace down a Gene that indicates the possibility of a supernatural ability we can run paternal and maternal tests to check against all other DNA in all stored Databases. Unfortunately, most Databases only hold the DNA records in sealed files at the police station. Luckily for you, we have Batman." Artemis takes the folder from her hands. "These are the results of the Genetic inquire, you obviously have the mutated Gene. This Gene basically enhances all five of your senses, your equilibrium, and flexibility."

"Like Plastic Man?" Artemis arched her eyebrow up at Dinah.

"Similar, but not the same." Dinah shook her head before taking a seat next to Artemis on the examining table. "Think more like a cat. Ever wondered how you could see better than everyone else at night? You could fit into tiny tight places with little to no problems, and would land on your feet almost every single time."

"My Meta abilities make me a cat?" Artemis laid the folder in her lap and turned her upper body towards Dinah.

"Not entirely, though if you start purring you would be right." Dinah smiled and placed her hand on Artemis's shoulder. "At least you aren't hairy like one."

Artemis cracked a wide smile. "Or have the pointed ears." She gestured to her own head.

"Or tail." Dinah agreed with a nod. "We've got your DNA being matched up with all the-" A machine closer to the door went off. "That didn't take long." Dinah frowned and got up from the table.

Artemis slid the folder to the bed and followed Dinah to the machine, "Is that not normal?"

"I started off with League members only." Dinah grabbed a few sheets of paper from the machine that spit it out. She scanned it quickly, "Well, isn't that interesting."

Artemis pulled the corner of the papers down with furrowed brows to look at Dinah, "Interesting?"

"Hello, Artemis Lian Crock-Queen." Dinah turned the papers around for Artemis.

* * *

"Wait." Oliver held up both his hands stopping Dinah from her tirade. Artemis was sitting on the examing table, the blue manila folder was clutched in her hands. "What do you mean, I'm her father."

Dinah sighed heavily, "Were you paying any attention to anything else I said?" Oliver blinked, "Of course you didn't." Dinah rolled her eyes and shoved some papers at him. "Read it and weep."

He took the papers from her. "You know I don't know how to read these." He looked over the papers anyway.

Dinah rolled her eyes and pointed to a few things on the papers. "I had them run through our databases first. I did it as a precaution, I didn't actually think any of us would match."

"I'm her father." Oliver looked up from the paper, even with his mask on he looked completely out of his depth.

Dinah took the papers back from him. "DNA doesn't lie." She placed her hand on his shoulder. "You are her father."

Oliver looked over to Artemis who was pawing through her folder. "I think I should be more surprised."

Dinah's eyebrow raised, "What do you mean?"

"When Paula described Artemis's father..." He trailed off, turned back to face Dinah. "I had a feeling she was Helena Dias."

"The woman who had you smitten with a wave of her fingers in Brazil?" Dinah asked her eyebrows high on her forehead.

"You remember that trip?" Oliver asked surprised.

"Of course I do. I got to go to Brazil with a group of friends for thirty days. How on earth could I have forgotten that?" Dinah shook her head and let go of his shoulder.

"That was also the trip that we ended up getting together at the end."

"I remember that part as well, I almost convinced myself that it wasn't worth it to be your rebound." Dinah rolled her eyes and placed the papers on top of a machine that Oliver only had vague knowledge on how to use.

"You were much more than a rebound."

"Now." Dinah grabbed his shoulder and turned him to face Artemis. "At the time I was the rebound."

Artemis looked up at the two of them. Her face was blank, but Oliver could see that she was tired.

"Hey." Oliver stepped over towards Artemis, he stripped off his mask at the same time.

"Hi." Artemis closed the manila folder and placed it next to her.

"How are you doing?" He took a seat next to her on the bed. Dinah nodded at Oliver and exited the room.

Artemis ran her hands down her jean covered thighs, her eyes were locked on her dangling feet. "As well as I can considering I found out that my father isn't who I thought he was, then come to find out he was here all along." She shrugged and cupped her knees in her hands.

Oliver sighed heavily, "I didn't know." He rubbed his eyes and set the mask down next to his body. "I'm not going to lie, I wasn't ready for a kid then, I was only twenty-one." He turned to face her, Artemis's head still faced the floor. "I might not have been ready, but I would have done everything in my power to keep both you and your mother safe."

"I've only met you a couple of months ago, but I believe you." Artemis looked over at him, she was drained, not just from the rollercoaster of what Paracite had put her through but being lied to by her mother.

"You aren't angry?" Oliver asked confused, if it had been him, he would have likely been screaming at someone for not telling him sooner- in a way, he was too similar to Roy.

Artemis sighed and looked back down at her feet. "Of course I'm angry, but I'm also hurt and relieved."

"Relieved?" Oliver placed his hand on top of one of her own.

"My father isn't Sportsmaster." She gave him a small smile. "He used to go on saying that one day my blood would come calling for me to quit this life and be what I was destined to be." She shook her head. "I'm not a killer, I couldn't kill, it wasn't in me. He used to get so mad that I could not kill a spider let alone a human being. I'm happy I don't share blood with him."

Oliver reached over her shoulder to bring her into his side. "I know it's probably much too late, but would you mind if I tried to be your father?"

Artemis meets his eyes, "Publicly?"

"If you would rather it be kept a secret, we wouldn't have to."

Artemis gave him a shy smile. "I think I'd like that." Oliver grinned over at her. "But," His grin fell, "Let's do it the right way."

"No secrets?" His eyebrows high on his forehead.

"No secrets." She agreed.

* * *

" _Earlier this week, a girl from Gotham had a paternity test in a public dispute between the mother and father. The results were something interesting, turns out the young woman is actually Star Cities billionaire playboy, Oliver Queen's daughter."_ A woman with dark blonde hair, cherub lips, high cheek bones, silver dusted eyelids, dark mascara on her eyelashes, brown almost mocha colored eyes, and tanned skin said from the right side of the screen.

" _Oliver Queen had a daughter?"_ The man with salt and pepper hair combed to the left, heavy laugh lines around his mouth and crows feet, thin lips, green almost hazel colored eyes, and pinkish skin asked from the left side of the screen. " _I thought all DNA files were sealed in unreachable files with the police departments, how were they able to get a hold of Mr. Queen's DNA?"_

The woman on the right screen waited for a beat before talking. " _Turns out, Oliver Queen is the reason for the couple's dispute. The couple has been long since separated, going on four years now, but the Husband had returned to 'make amends' with the family. They were at a family dinner, conveniently located near Mr. Queen's table where he and his girl friend of nearly sixteen years, Dinah Lance were enjoying a meal. Apparently, the woman recognized Mr. Queen and the Husband began the routine argument that had separated the couple four years ago. The Husband had accused Mr. Queen of being the young woman's father and in an effort to stop the fight from escalating Mr. Queen volunteered for a paternity test."_

The man blinked a few times, _"That must have been a shock."_

 _"Mr. Queen was certainly shocked to know that he was the father, anyone would be."_ The woman smiled into the screen and looked off to the side.

Batman hit the remote's power button to turn off the screen and faced the team. "You're on protection detail. Oliver Queen's daughter has already received several death threats along with her mother. You will be keeping the two of them safe by splitting into two teams, Alpha will be Miss Martian, Aqualad, and Kid Flash, you three will be on the mother, her name is Paula Crock, she is in a wheel chair-"

"If she's in a wheel chair why all three of us? That will leave only Robin and Superboy to watch the daughter." Wally frowned and shrunk back at the flat look Batman gave him for interrupting.

"Paula Crock has been receiving more of the threats and has a disability," Batman turned to the other two boys, dropping the conversation with Wally. "The daughter will be traveling separately from the mother and their belongings. Her name is to remain confidential, she will remain in the apartment until after team Alpha leaves. Beta you will travel with the daughter in a different direction, travel for both teams will take a total of seven days. Comms will remain open but silent, they are only to be used for emergencies." Batman brought up a screen with several points marking each route and dots on the sides of the routes. "Each of these mark the Zeta tubes that are located along the routes, these will only be utilized if there is an emergency."

"Seven days?" Wally asked with wide eyes.

"I suggest you pack accordingly," Batman concluded and shut off the holograms.

"Seven days?" Wally spun to look at Robin.

"Alpha leaves at noon tomorrow. Beta eighteen hundred hours, that's all."

"Seven days?" Wally whined to Kaldur as Batman took his leave.

* * *

"It isn't fair." Wally draped himself over Robin's shoulders as he messed with his holo-computer on his wrist.

"What isn't?" Robin asked distractedly.

"That you get to deal with the daughter," Wally whined and pushed off of Robin, who didn't move an inch. "I bet she's hot."

Robin nearly laughed, "She is."

"You already know who she is, don't you?" Wally looked back at him flatly.

"I do." Robin turned to him with a grin, shutting his wrist computer off as he did. "I won't tell you who it is."

Wally grumped and folded his arms over his chest. "It's not fair." He jutted out his bottom lip and turned slightly away.

"Don't worry about it, I went to school with her." Robin played it off and put his hands on his hips.

"Not that." Wally shook his head, "You always know the hot ones, no, Artemis is getting a free pass even though we are traveling to _her_ city."

"Batman said that Artemis and Green Arrow were working with Roy on something important." Robin shrugged.

"He didn't happen to tell you what this 'something important' was, did he?"

"Nope," Robin smirked.

* * *

"Hello, ma'am." Robin greeted in his civvies, his dark shades keeping his eyes hidden.

"Hello, I'm guessing you are the one I'm supposed to call 'Rob'." Paula greeted jovially, she wheeled herself over to the team that had gathered.

"That's me."

"I'm sorry that my daughter couldn't be out here greeting you as well, though, it's probably for the best. She doesn't like strangers all that much." Paula smiled and turned over her shoulder to look back at the mostly run down apartment building behind her. "I have been in formed that three of you will be riding with me in that van there." She pointed towards the end of the street at a black Crysler Voyager parked by the curb.

"That would be the three of us, Ma'am." Kaldur gestured to M'gann, Wally, and himself with a sweep of his hands.

"Please, just call me Paula." She rolled forward and held out a hand to Kaldur.

"I am Kaldur'ahm, Kaldur is just fine." He gripped her hand firmly and brought it down once.

"I'm Megan." She stepped forward and took Paula's hand after Kaldur let go and took as step back.

"I'm Wally." He stayed where he was and gave her a polite wave and smile.

"I am Conner, Rob and I are in charge of your daughter's protection. Were you notified of what vehicular we would be taking?" Conner stepped forward and offered his hand for a hand shake.

"Two motorcycles that were supposed to be brought in thirty minutes before your departure." Paula shook his head. "Please take good care of myself and my daughter."

"We will do everything in our power to keep the two of you safe," Kaldur stated as Conner took a step back to stand next to Robin.

"Thank you for doing this, it must seem silly to you, protection duty." Paula leaned back and waved her hand in a circle in front of her chin.

"No ma'am, Oliver Queen is a friend." Robin gave her a smile.

"Right." Paula gave him a tight smile. "Fair warning Mr. Rob, my daughter is a smart girl do not underestimate her tenacity. She is also under the impression that the protection detail is, and I quote 'A waste of man power when as a woman she could do a better job'." Paula used air quotes, "She is likely going to try to give you the slip, my suggestions are to have her ride as a passenger on one of the bikes, and have someone share a hotel room with her. Trust me, she knows how to disappear very easily."

"Nothing we can not handle." Robin grinned.

Paula snorted, "I know Batman might have given you a file on my daughter, but I assure you, a file does not do justice to someone's character. Show her any kind of weakness and she'll eat you alive. I know because I trained her." Paula gave him a sharp smile.

* * *

"For some reason, I knew Batman was going to assign the two of you to my protection detail." Greeted Conner and Robin after they entered the empty apartment.

"Artemis?" Conner asked his eyebrows furrowed as they landed on her form leaned up against the ledge of the window watching out of the blinds.

"Hey, Conner." She turned and gave them a smile before looking back out at the street below.

"You're the billionaire's daughter?" Conner asked a bit surprised.

"Turns out that yes I am." Artemis narrowed her eyes watching as Paula, Wally, M'gann, and Kaldur all loaded up into the Voyager. "Trust me, it's a lot better than who I had thought was my father for years."

Robin laughed, "Your mother scared Wally."

Artemis shot him a smirk, "That's easily done. What did she say exactly?" She leaned forward slightly to watch the Voyager drive away.

"That you know how to disappear and if we show any weakness that you'll eat us alive." Robin folded his arms over his chest with a grin. Conner rolled his eyes.

"I'm assuming she was lying." Conner shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Yes, she was lying about the person she was talking about, not that any of it wasn't true." Artemis turned fully to the two of them. "She was talking about herself. Trust me, she's going to give those three heart attacks at least once a day and is going to enjoy every moment of it." She smirked, "I know that wasn't all that she said."

"She told us that you needed to ride with one of us on the motorcycles that will be here thirty minutes before we leave." Conner leaned against the door frame.

"I'm guessing she also mentioned one of you sharing a hotel room with me." Both boys nodded. Artemis sighs and leans her head back against the wall behind her. "She's doing it again."

"Doing what again?" Robin walked over to her side.

"Trying to set me up with one of the two of you, probably hoping for grandkids."

Robin flinched away from her, "You're only fifteen."

"She's been trying to set me up for the last four years, I'm pretty sure she doesn't care how old I am." Artemis rubbed the side of her face. "No offense, but I'd rather not make babies with either of you on this trip."

"None was taken." Conner scowled from the doorway.

* * *

 **And I am done. I lost muse about halfway through this last scene. If there is going to be another chapter, it will not be as long and not at all in direct correlation of this one.**

 **Do not get your hopes up for another chapter. I'm kind of fried on this one, though I thought that on the first one. This chapter was never supposed to be written.**

 **Thank you for the wonderful reviews, they encourage me to write more and always will.**


	3. Chapter 3

**So I guess I am continuing this story. Who would have thought? I certainly didn't.**

 **Anywho, the continuation of this story is going to be a little wonky, first of all, I have made a 'sort of sequel' called 'Soul in the Fire'. I say sort of because I would like to make this into a community effort/challenge, where anyone who would like to apply would create their own sequel to Malady and I will post the list down below. I thought this would be loads of fun for those who would like to join.**

 **If you would like to join please message me.**

 **I have a couple of rules to go along with the challenge.**

 **First Rule : Please keep Artemis's powers the same as in Malady, and please try to keep her in character. I'd rather not see her lose that sassy sarcastic wit or her amazing ability to let things slide off her back.**

 **Second Rule : This is TRAUGHT fanfiction only. Other side pairings are welcome, but please make sure they stay as side pairings.**

 **Third Rule : Please take the time to fully write out sentences, I'm not a huge fan of text talk at all. Another pet peeve/rule when a character talks please make sure to use quotation marks and not just hyphens or apostrophes. Basically just use correct punctuation in the story and we should all be fine and dandy.**

 **Those are the rules!**

 **List of stories that are part of the Malady universe;**

 _ **Soul in the fire by Inbetweentheraindrops**_


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